The invention relates to a manual breast milk pump.
Breast milk pumps serve to pump breast milk. For this, they have at least one suction bell, which is put on the mother's breast. Negative pressure is supplied to the suction bell in order to draw milk from the breast. The suction bell is connected with a milk collection container, which receives the suctioned breast milk. The negative pressure is repeatedly supplied to and relieved from the suction bell in order to stimulate the flow of milk. The negative pressure is generated by means of a pump, which is actuated manually in the case of a manual breast milk pump. In the case of an electric breast milk pump, the pump is actuated by means of an electric motor.
For example, breast milk pumps in which the pumps have a cylinder with a piston that is displaceable in it, which is actuatable by means of a lever, are known e.g. from EP 1 231 955 B1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The disadvantage of such pumps is the complex construction and the considerable cleaning effort. Pumping is tiring, in particular because the friction resistance between the piston and cylinder must be overcome.
Furthermore, breast milk pumps are known e.g. from EP 1 515 760 B1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, in which the suction bell is connected with a displacement chamber, which is sealed closed by a membrane. The membrane is deflectable by means of a lever, in order to produce negative pressure in the displacement chamber. By returning the membrane to its original position, the negative pressure is relieved. The suction bell is connected with a milk collection container via an outlet valve. The outlet valve closes when there is negative pressure in the displacement chamber so that the milk collects in front of the valve. When the negative pressure is relieved, the outlet valve opens and the milk drains into the milk collection container. Pump work is spared through the outlet valve since the negative pressure is only reached in the suction bell and in the displacement chamber and not in the milk collection container. The disassembly of the breast milk pump for cleaning purposes and the subsequent reassembly of the pump is complicated.
Against this background, the object of the invention is to create a manual breast milk pump, which can be disassembled and reassembled with less effort in particular for the purpose of cleaning.